Lubricating system for engines



July 6, 1965 H. o. SCHERENBERG ETAL 3,193,053

UBRI N FOR ENGINES Filed Feb. 13, 1962 7 Ill 5 IIA INVENTOR.

HANS o. s REN BY JOHANNES SM E g A TTORNEYS,

United States Patent M 12 Claims. for. 184-6) The present invention relates to an installation for the lubrication of the contact or bearing surfaces of rotary piston internal combustion engines, especially those operating according to the diesel principle.

As with conventional two-cycle engines, a mixture lubricating system has been used heretofore with rotary piston internal combustion engines operating according to the Otto principle. This type of lubrication however, cannot be used with engines operating according to the diesel principle. Additionally, the oil admixture With mixture-lubrication is excessive and leads to well known inconveniences and shortcomings.

The present invention aims at a universally utilizable lubrication for rotary piston internal combustion engines. For solving this problem, the present invention proposes to introduce continuously into the suction channel the smallest oil quantities that can be accurately metered. In this connection, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention that a distributor device be arranged for the distribution of the lubricating oil in the suction or inlet channel as closely adjacent to the inlet into the combustion spaces as possible and that the distributor device be operatively connected with a supply installation which removes the lubricating oil from the oil circulatory system under pressure and forcibly conducts the lubricating oil to the distributor device in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary piston engine in an accurately metered manner.

There is appropriately arranged as a distributor device within one wall of the suction channel a slotted tubular element extending at least over a part of the channel width which tubular element receives in a slot thereof a wick which extends or protrudes, on the one hand, into the inside of the tubular element and, on the other, through i a slot provided Within the channel wall into the suction channel itself. A plunger or piston member, movable in the longitudinal direction thereof Within given limits is provided as a supply installation which installation is arranged within a cross bore of a shaft rotating together with the rotor of the rotary piston internal combustion engine. The housing accommodating the shaft is provided with oppositely disposed apertures coaxial to or in alignment with the cross bore of which one of the apertures is operatively connected as a supply with the oil circulatory system and of which the other is operatively connected with the distributor device at the suction channel. The control shaft for the injection pump or for the pump nozzles of the rotary piston internal combustion engine may thereby serve in an advantageous manner as drive shaft and/ or for the accommodation of the supply installation.

A very accurately and, in particular, a very fine metering of the lubricating oil is possible by the arrangement in accordance with the present invention. The quantity of lubricating oil supplied is dependent only on the rotary speed of the engine. The value or magnitude of the pressure within the oil circulatory system or of the supply pump plays no significant role whatsoever; it is only necessary that some pressure exist at all times within the oil circulatory system. In this manner, pressure fluctuations cannot affect in any manner the lubrication of the bear- Patented July 6, 1965 ing surfaces. Moreover, by the use of the control shaft for the pump nozzles as a shaft for the supply installation, additional installations become unnecessary resulting in savings, and no additional need for space arises as a result thereof. The wick, which may consist of a metal mesh or a metallic fabric of any known conventional construction, is wedged or clamped into the slot of the tubular piece, and is secured in this position by soldering or the like. The tubular piece is appropriately introduced laterally together with the wick during assembly thereof. It is also appropriate to arrange the tubular piece at as narrow a place of the suction channel as possible where the velocity of the air stream passing the same is as large as possible.

There also exists the possibility with the supply installation according to the present invention of effecting a control or at least an adjustment of the supplied quantity of lubricant by changing the stroke of the needle-shaped piston or plunger member. This may be realized, for example, due to the fact that one or both cross pins are provided with an eccentric center section and are adapted to be adjusted in relation to the bores thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lubricating system for the contact surfaces of rotary piston internal combustion engines which is simple in structure, reliable in operation and which avoids all of the shortcomings and disadvantages encountered with the prior art devices.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a lubricating system for the internal bearing surfaces within the housing of a rotary piston internal combustion engine which is of universal applicability, does not entail excessive admixture of lubricating oil to the fuel charge under diesel operation and has relatively small space requirements.

Still a further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a lubricating system for rotary piston internal combustion engines, and more particularly for the internal bearing surfaces along which glides the rotary piston which assures an accurately metered amount of lubricating oil regulated only in dependence on the rotary speed of the engine but independent of the pressure of the oil circulatory system.

These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, and wherein FIGURE 1 is a partial cross-sectional view through a lubricating installation in accordance with the present invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line IIII of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the two views to designate like parts, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the suction or inlet connecting member 11 is cast integral with the housing 10 of a rotary piston internal combustion engine in which the rotor (not illustrated) carries out rotary movements in a conventional manner. A bore 13 adapted to be closed laterally thereof is disposed transversely to the suction channel 12 within its wall at a place thereof as narrow as possible. The bore 13 serves for the accommodation of the distributor device. The bore 13 extends with a slot 14 into the suction channel 12 itself. While in the illustrated embodiment, the distributor device is shown as accommodated within a part cast integral with the housing, it is, of course, understood that the present invention is not limited thereto since the dis tributor device in accordance with the present invention r i "3,193,053 r may also be suitably accommodated in a suction line threadably connected to the engine.

' A tubular piece 15 serves as distributordevice which is introduced into the bore 13 and which itself is also provided with a slot 16 in which is clamped or wedged awick 17. The wick 17, on theone hand, extends approximately over the entire width of the suction channel 12 into the suction channel itself whereas the other part of.

mined exclusively by the plunger stroke and the rotational speedof the control shaft 23.

While we have shownand'described one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it is understood 'many changes and modifications within the spirit and that the same is not limitedthereto, but is susceptible of scope thereof, and we therefore do. not wish to be limited to the details'shown and described herein, but intend to the wick 17 is disposed within the tubular piece 15. The

wick 17 is suitably secured at the tubular member 15, for example, by spot welding.

The tubular piece is' provided along the circumference thereof with a bore 18 which is operatively connected or in communicationthrough a housing bore 19 and through a line 20, illustrated in part only schematically, with a supply installation generally designated by reference numeral 21 that will be described more fully hereinafter. The lubricating .oil is conducted through line 20 from the supply installation 21 to the distributor device and is supplied into the inside of the tubular piece 15. The wick 17 thereby becomes saturated with'the lubricant. The air or mixturepassing the wick'17 within the suction channel 12 continuously draws small oil paroil tofsaid distributor means innan accurately'predeterticles out of the wick 17. The small oil particles precipitate on the bearing surface 22 on the inside of the lionsing 10 where they .form an oil film;

The supply installation consisting of a, single pump generally designated by reference numeral 21 servesfor the exact metering of the oil quantity intended for the distributor device. The control shaft 23 rotates with'the rotor of the rotary piston engine and serves to actuate the pump nozzles 24. A crossbore 25 is arranged within the control shaft 23 which bore 25 is provided inthe center section 26 thereof with a smaller'diameterfand in bothlateral end sections 27 thereof with larger diameters. A needle-shaped plunger or piston 28 is disposed within the center section 26 which plunger 28 is somewhat longer mined metered amount and substantially independently of the pressure in sa'id circulatory means for a given rotation- 211 speed of the rotary piston engine, said distributor means including a slotted tubular memberarranged within'a wall portion of'said suction channel means and extending ,atleastover a portion of the channel width, wick means within the slot of said slotted tubular member, said wick 'means'extending, on' the one hand, into the inside of said tubular member and, on the other, through a slot provided within said j channel wall portioninto said sucthannthe bore section 26. The plunger 28 is movable v I tion channel means for distributing the lubricating oil,

in the longitudinal direction thereof within the bore section'26; The stroke of the plunger28 is limited; by two cross pins 29. Two mutually 'oppositely disposed boresv 30 and 31am arranged within the housing acco'mmodating theshaft 23 which bores 301 and 31 are in alignment-,.i.e., are coaxial-with respect to' de ms bore 25. The bore 31 is operatively connected through the line' 32 with the oil circulatory system, thatis, with the a shown in FIGURES-1 and 2 by the pressure prevailing within the oil circulatory system and within line 32." As

a result, the plunger 28 has supplied with the upperpor-v tion thereof, as viewed in FIGURES land 2, a predetermined lubricating oil volume through the bore 30 and the line 20 into the distributor device. .,As the shaft 23 continues to rotate, the plunger 28 carries out the same tion channel itself.

' 2..An'insta'llation forthe lubrication of bearing surfaces. of rotary piston engines, particularly those operating according to the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means and with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said sucand supply Imeans operatively connected Withsaid distributormeans 'for effectively removing the lubricating meansincluding a slottedtubular member arrangedfwithin a Wall portion of said suction channel means and extending .at least. overqa portion of the channel width, wick "means within the slotof said slotted tubular member, said'wick means extending, on the one hand, into the inside of said tubular inember and, onthe other, through a slot provided within said channel wall portion into said suction channel-itself, said wick means being made of metal fabric,'being clamped within the slot provided 'within said tubular member and' being secured operationunder the pressure prevailing in line'3 2, i.e.,.

' the plunger 28 is always displaced in the upward direction as viewed in'FIGURES 1 'and,.2 by the pressure force applied to the'lower end thereof. In this manner, during each rotation of .the shaft '23 a quantity. of lubricating oil j is supplied the magnitude ofwhich corresponds to twice the stroke volume of the plunger 28; I a p The stroke of the plunger 28 can 'be determined beforehand by acorresponding position of the cross pins 29.

However, it is also within the scope 'of the present inven- V tion to. render the stroke of plunger 28 adjustable; for example, by eccentric sections at the cross pins '29'. The cross pins 29 may then be installed indifferent positions thereof whereby different supply quantities result by're'a son of the difiering stroke produced'the'reby; 'TheIpresingwall portion, and line means operatively connecting said housing bore directly with saidsupply means, said nected with the rotor of the rotary piston engine .to rotate supply'means including a rotating shaft operatively con- 7 adapted to move in said transversebore. means within predetermined limits, a housing accommodating said shaft 'means-which' isprovide'dwith' two mutually'oppositely 'disposed' apertures at times. substantially in alignment 'with said transversebore means, one of said apertures serving; as connection with the oil circulatory means and sure within the oil circulatory system is of nojsignificance ,7

for the supply of the lubricating'oil to the distributor: device. H The supply to the; distributorgdevice is deter? the other being operatively connected .with said distributor means. *3. An installation forithe lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston" engines, particularly those operating according tothe diesel principie, p rovided withsuction channel means and with oil circulatory means. under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for distributing the lubricating oil, and supply means operatively connected with said distributor means for removing the lubricating oil from said oil circulatory means and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor means in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary piston engine in an accurately metered manner and substantially independently of the pressure in said circulatory means, said supply means including a rotating shaft operatively connected with the rotor of the rotary piston engine to rotate in unison therewith, said shaft being provided with transverse bore means accommodating therein plunger means adapted to move in said transverse bore means within predetermined limits, a housing accommodating said shaft and provided with two mutually oppositely disposed apertures at times in substantial alignment with said transverse bore means, one of said apertures serving as connection with the oil circulatory means and the other being operatively connected with said distributor means.

4. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston engines, particularly those operating according to the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means and with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for distributing the lubricating oil, and supply means including a speed responsive metering pump operatively connected with said distributor means for effectively removing the lubricating oil from said oil circulatory means and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor means in an accurately metered amount and substantially independently of the pressure in said circulatory means for a given rotational speed of the rotary piston engine, said distributor means including a slotted tubular member arranged within a wall portion of said suction channel means and extending at least over a portion of the channel width, wick means within the slot of said slotted tubular member, said wick means extending only, on the one hand, into the inside of said tubular member, and on the other, through a slot provided within said channel wall portion into said suction channel itself, said tubular member being provided with a bore intersecting a housing bore provided within said housing wall portion, and line means operatively connecting said pump directly with said housing bore and with said supply means.

5. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston engines, particularly those operating according to the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means and with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for distributing the lubricating oil, and

supply means operatively connected with said distributor means for removing the lubricating oil from said oil circulatory means and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor means in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary piston engine in an accurately metered manner and substantially independently of the pressure in said circulatory means, said supply means including a rotating shaft operatively connected with the rotor of the rotary piston engine to rotate in unison therewith, said shaft being provided with transverse bore means accommodating therein needle-shaped plunger means adapted to move in said transverse bore means within predetermined limits, a housing accommodating said shaft and provided with two mutually oppositely disposed apertures at times in substantial alignment with said transverse bore means, one of said apertures serving as connection with the oil circulatory means and the other being operatively connected with said distributor means, said transverse bore means having a center section of relatively smaller diameter in which is accommodated said plunger means, said transverse bore means having also outer sec tions of relatively larger diameter, and said needle-shaped plunger means extending with the end sections thereof into said outer sections of relatively larger diameter.

6. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston engines, particularly those operating accordingto the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means and with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for distributing the lubricating oil, and supply means operatively connected with said distributor means for removing the lubricating oil from said oil circulatory means and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor means in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary piston engine in an accurately metered manner and substantially independently of the pressure in said circulatory means, said supply means including a rotating shaft operatively connected with the rotor of the rotary piston engine to rotate in unison therewith, said shaft being provided with transverse bore means accommodating therein needle-shaped plunger means adapted to move in said transverse bore means within predetermined limits, a housing accommodating said shaft and provided with two mutually oppositely disposed apertures at times in substantial alignment with said transverse bore means, one of said apertures serving as connection with the oil circulatory means and the other being operatively connected with said distributor means, said transverse bore means having a center section of relatively smaller diameter in which is accommodated said plunger means, said transverse bore means having also outer sections of relatively larger diameter, and said needle-shaped plunger means extending with the end sections thereof into said outer sections of relatively larger diameter, and means for limiting the stroke of said plunger means to said predetermined limits including cross pin means extending through said outer sections of relatively larger diameter.

'7. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston engines, particularly those operating according to the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means and with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for distributing the lubricating oil, and supply means operatively connected with said distributor means for removing the lubricating oil from said oil circulatory means and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor means in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary piston engine in an accurately metered manner and substantially independently of the pressure in said circulatory means, said supply means including a rotating shaft operatively connected with the rotor of the rotary piston engine to rotate in unison therewith, said shaft being provided with transverse bore means accommodating therein needle-shaped plunger means adapted to move in said transverse bore means within predetermined limits, a housing accommodating said shaft and provided with two mutually oppositely disposed apertures at times in substantial alignment with said transverse bore means, one of said apertures serving as connection with the oil circulatory means and the other being operatively connected with said distributor means, said transverse bore means having a center section of relatively smaller diameter in which is accommodated said plunger means, said transverse bore means having also outer sections of relatively larger diameter, and said needleshaped plunger means extending with the end sections thereof into said outer sections of relatively larger diameter, and means for limiting the stroke of said plunger means to said predetermined limits including cross pin means extending through said outer sections of relatively larger diameter, at least one of said cross pin means having an eccentric center section and being adjustable with respect to its bore to render the stroke of said plunger means adjustable.

8. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston engines, particularly those operating ac- V 7 cording to the diesel principle, provided with channel means, with injection means having control shaft suction i ing a reciprocating member within a rotating part for accuratelymetering and forcibly supplying the lubricant to means for the injection pump and injection nozzles, and

with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for dis:

tributing the lubricating oil, and supplymeans operatively' connected with said distributor means for removingthe lubricating oil from said oil ci'rculatorygmeans and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor means'in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary piston engine in an accurately metered manner, said supsaid distributor means with the pressure and volume of the supplied lubricant being dependent onEy on the rotaply means including said control shaft means operatively connected with the rotor of the rotarypistoniengine to rotate in unison therewith, said control shaft means being provided with transverse bore means accommodating therein needle-shaped plunger means adapted to move in said transverse bore means within predetermined limits,

a housing accommodating said shaft and provided with two mutually oppositely disposed apertures at times in'subverse bore means having also -outer'sections of relatively:

larger diameter, and said needle-shaped plunger means extending with the end sections thereof into said outer sections of relatively larger diameter, and means forlimiting the stroke of said plunger means to said predetermined 9. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston engines, particularly; those operating according to the diesel principle, provided with suctionfchannel means, with injection means 'having control ,sha'ft means for the injection pump and injection nozzles, and

,with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising dis:

tributor means within said suction channel means for distributing the lubricating oil, and supply means operatively connected with said distributormeans for removing the lubricating oil from said oil circulatory meanas and for forcibly supplying the lubircating oil to said distributor means in dependence on the rotational speed of, the rotary piston engine in an-accurately metered manner'and substantially independently of the pressure in said circulatory means, said supply means including saidcontrol shaftmeans operatively connected with the rotor of the rotary piston engine to rotate in unison therewith,,said control shaft means being provided with transverse bore means accommodating therein plunger means adapted to move in. said transverse bore means within predetermined limits, a housing accommodating said shaft and provided with two mutually oppositely disposed apertures at times in substantial alignment with said transverse bore means,

nected with said distributor means, said control shaft means serving as drive shaft for and accommodation of:

said supply means.

10. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces of rotary piston enginem'p arti'culafly those operating accordingly to the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means and with lubricant circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within saidsuction channel means for distributing thelubricant, and

supply means operatively connected with said-distributor means for supplying the lubricant to said distributor means from said oil circulatory means including means consisting of a single engine speed responsive pumphav- I tional-s eed of the rotary'pisto'n engine and substantially independent of the pressure of the lubricant'within said circulatory means and means for selectively varying the volumetric'quantity of lubricant supplied at a given rotational speed of the rotarypiston engine regardless of'the pressure in said circulatory means by varying the stroke of said reciprocating member. r

$11. An installation for the lubrication'of bearing surfaces of rotary piston engines, particularly those operating according to the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means and with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for distributin the lubricating oil, and supply means operatively connected with said distributor means for effectively removing the lubricating oil from said' oil circulatory means and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor'm'eans in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary piston engine in an accurately metered manner, said distributor means including a slotted tubular memberarrangedwithin a wall portion of said suction channel means and extending at least over a portion of the channel Width, wick means within the slot of said slotted tubular member, said wick means extending, on the one hand, into theinside of said tubular member, and on the other, through a slot provided within said channel wall portion intosaid suction channel itself, said tubular member "being provided with a boreintersecting a bore providcdwithin said housing wall portion, and line means operatively connecting said housing bore with said supply means, said supplymeans including a rotating shaft operatively connected withthe rotor of the rotary piston engine to rotate in unison therewith, said shaft being provided with transverse bore means accommodating therein plunger means adapted to move in saidtransverse boremeans within predetermined limits, a housing accommodating said shaft and provided with two mutuallyoppositely disposed apertures at times substantially in alignment with said transverse bore means, one of said apertures serving, as connection with the oil circulatory means and the other being operatively connected with said distributor means; a

' 12. An installation for the lubrication of bearing surfaces offrota'ry piston engines, particularly those operating according to the diesel principle, provided with suction channel means, with injectionrmeans having control shaft means 'forthe, injection pump and injection nozzles, and with oil circulatory means under pressure, comprising distributor means within said suction channel means for distributing the lubricating oil, and supply'means operatively connectedwith said distributor means for removing the lubricating oil from said oil circulatory means and for forcibly supplying the lubricating oil to said distributor :means in dependence on the rotational speed of the rotary one of said apertures serving as 'connection'with the oil'j circulatory means and the other being operatively con-7' piston engine in an accurately inetered manner, said distributor means including slotted tubularvmeans arranged 'within a wall portion of said suction channel means and extending at least over a portion-of the channel width, wick means within the slot ofsaid slottedtubular means, saidwick means extending, on'the one hand, into'the inside of-said tubular means and, on the other, through a with, said'control shaft means being provided with transverse bore meansaccommodating thereinneedle-shaped plunger, means adapted to move insaid transverse bore means within predeterminedlimits, a housing accommodating saidshaft and provided with two mutually oppositely disposed apertures at times in substantial alignment with said transverse bore means, one of'said apertures serving as connection with the oil circulatory means and the other being operatively connected with said distributor means, said transverse bore means having a center section of relatively smaller diameter in which is accommodated said plunger means, said transverse bore means having also outer sections of relatively larger diameter, and said needle-shaped plunger means extending with the end sections thereof into said outer sections of relatively larger diameter, and means for limiting the stroke of said plunger means to said predetermined limits including cross pin means extending through said outer sections of relatively larger diameter, at least one of said cross pin means having an eccentric center section and being adjustable with respect to its bore to render the stroke of said plunger means adjustable, said control shaft means serving as drive shaft for and accommodation of said supply means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 734,258 7/ ()3 Fetters 222-219 1,917,605 7/33 Shaw 123-196 2,738,861 3/56 Emele et al. 1846 2,878,895 3/59 Wiley 18455 FOREIGN PATENTS 384,269 11/23 Germany.

398,356 1930 Great Britain.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

MILTON KAUFMAN, Examiner. 

1. AN INSTALLATION FOR THE LUBRICATION OF BEARING SURFACES OF ROTARY PISTON ENGINES, PARTICULARLY THOSE OPERATING ACCORDING TO THE DIESEL PRINCIPLE, PROVIDED WITH SUCTION CHANNEL MEANS AND WITH OIL CIRCULATORY MEANS UNDER PRESSURE, COMPRISING DISTRIBUTION MEANS WITHIN SAID SUCTION CHANNEL MEANS FOR DISTRIBUTING THE LUBRICATING OIL, AND SUPPLY MEANS CONSISTING OF A SINGLE METERING PUMP OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID DISTRIBUTOR MEANS FOR EFFECTIVELY REMOVING THE LUBRICATING OIL FROM SAID OIL CIRCULATORY MEANS AND FOR FORCIBLY SUPPLY THE LUBRICATING OIL TO SAID DISTRIBUTOR MEANS IN AN ACCURATELY PREDETERMINED METERED AMOUNT AND SUBSTANTIALLY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE PRESSURE IN SAID CIRCULATORY MEANS FOR A GIVEN ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE ROTARY PISTON ENGINE, SAID DISTRIBUTOR MEANS INCLUDING A SLOTTED TUBULAR MEMBER ARRANGED WITHIN A WALL PORTION OF SAID SUCTION CHANNEL MEANS AND EXTENDING AT LEAST OVER A PORTION OF THE CHANNEL WIDTH, WICK MEANS WITHIN THE SLOT OF SAID SLOTTED TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID WICK MEANS EXTENDING, ON THE ONE HAND, INTO THE INSIDE OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND, ON THE OTHER, THROUGH A SLOT PROVIDED WITHIN SAID CHANNEL WALL PORTION INTO SAID SUCTION CHANNEL ITSELF. 